2022 Beijing Olympics – Cross-Country Skiing – Men’s 15km + 15km Skiathlon – National Cross-Country Centre, Zhangjiakou, China – February 6, 2022. Athletes in action. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
February 6, 2022
(Reuters) – The postponement of the men’s downhill skiing, a marquee event at the Winter Games, due to windy conditions left plenty of gold medals up for grabs.
‘Proud Kiwi’ snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott won gold in the women’s slopestyle event ahead of Russian Alexander Bolshunov’s win in the men’s gruelling 2×15 km skiathlon.
Swede Nils van der Poel is hoping to end a 30-plus year drought for his nation in the men’s 5000m speed skating final, which started at 1630 local (1030GMT/0530EST).
The men’s normal ski jumping final kicks off at 2000 local (1200GMT/0700EST). Norwegian pair Marius Lindvik and Robert Johansson qualified ahead of the pack.
With a black eye from a fall in training, 17-year-old American Kai Owens will be seeking to impress in the women’s freestyle skiing moguls at 2040 local (1240GMT/0740EST). Owens, who was born in China and raised in the United States, faces stiff competition from her compatriot Jaelin Kauf, Aussie Jakara Anthony and defending champion Perrine Laffont.
Germany’s Johannes Ludwig was fastest during the first two rounds of the Olympic men’s singles luge with Austria’s Wolfgang Kindl close behind ahead of the finale on Sunday at 2125 local (1325GMT/0825EST).
(Editing by Leela de Kretser & Shri Navaratnam)
